


Hoperai Week 2017

by comeonlight



Category: Final Fantasy XIII Series, Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Corny, F/M, Fluff, Post-Canon, and whatnot, mostly anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-24
Packaged: 2018-10-07 10:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10358445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comeonlight/pseuds/comeonlight
Summary: Some one-shots/flashfic for The OTP.





	1. Unexpected Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope is expecting Lightning tomorrow, as in the day after today.

“We’ll be together.” That’s what Hope had said to Lightning the last time they’d seen each other. Of course, at the time, he meant going to meet everyone. But now that they were finally here in this new world, maybe the words meant something else. To Hope’s knowledge, Lightning had crossed paths with pretty much everyone else already. Why she’d waited so long to see him was a mystery. At least she’d be arriving the next day. Finally.

Hope began to hum to himself as he walked the path between flowery fields under the sun. He’d deemed it a good idea to memorize the route from the train station to his home. The last thing he wanted was to get himself and Lightning lost, especially when they had so much catching up to do. A breeze blew a few stray rose petals past Hope, bringing a smile to his face. “Soon,” he murmured to himself. He continued to walk until he was close enough to read the numbers on a train that happened to be stopped at the station. The route wasn’t difficult at all, thankfully. Confident, Hope turned around and began a leisurely stroll home.

Though the weather was actually quite fair, Hope decided to make a pit stop at the first small shop he passed. He was sweating just a little, and a few minutes indoors would likely do him well. He might even discover something new; it wasn’t often he made trips out here - though, he thought, he probably should. The scenery was incredibly beautiful. “Good afternoon, sir. How can I help you?” The shopkeeper was a young woman with a bright smile. She reminded Hope of Vanille a little bit.

“I was actually just stepping in for some air,” Hope said. “I’ll have a look around, though, if it’s alright.” The shopkeeper nodded. “Okey-dokey! Just let me know if you need anything.” “Thank you,” Hope replied. He then began to do just as he’d said and looked around the small shop. There were flowers everywhere, with a few large fruits here and there as well bottles of water and snacks for sale. “These are such beautiful bouquets. Did you arrange these yourself?” The shopkeeper laughed nervously and waved a hand, flattered by the comment. “Well, you know…” Hope smiled at her, and then looked around a bit more. His eyes fell upon a bright bouquet of roses and he froze. “Wow…” They were big and vibrant in color, and upon closer inspection had a lovely scent. “Ma’am. I’d like to purchase these roses and a bottle of water.” “Sweet!” the shopkeeper exclaimed. “I’ll ring you up, good sir.”

Hope carefully picked up the bouquet and made his way to the register. The shopkeeper placed a bottle of water on the counter and printed out a receipt. “That’ll be twenty-one even.” Hope set the bouquet on the counter carefully, then reached in his pocket for his wallet. He handed the shopkeeper her payment and expressed his gratitude with a soft laugh. “Thank you again. Really.” “No, thank  _ you,”  _ the shopkeeper said as Hope folded his receipt and placed it neatly into his wallet. Hope returned his wallet to his pocket and took a sip of water before slipping the water bottle into his other pocket. Gently, he picked up the roses, nodded to the shopkeeper one last time and turned toward the exit as the door opened.

“...Huh. Not exactly as expected but it works for me.” The woman entering the shop possessed pink hair and blue eyes that had seen far too much. She stood tall, with a single bag of luggage in her hand and a smile on her face. “Well, I it looks like the surprise element is still there.” “Light,” Hope managed. “Light…” He sounded more relieved than anything, actually. He had the right, Lightning thought. She’d been keeping him waiting for far too long. “Hope, you okay?” The sound of Lightning’s voice saying his name with such concern was oddly nostalgic for Hope, but at the same time he didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t want to hear concern in Lightning’s voice. He wanted to hear peace and joy, and he would do everything in his power to give her those things. She deserved it, after everything she’d done for him, her sister, their friends, and all of humanity.

Hope held the bouquet out to Lightning. “I...These are for you.” “These?” For the first time, Lightning gave her full attention to the roses, noticing the perfect petals that seemed to be hand-crafted. They almost looked too good to be real, but the fresh flowery scent assured her that these were indeed roses grown from soil and not some detailed wax model or whatever this bright but somewhat peculiar world might’ve offered. “Hope, they’re beautiful.” Lightning reached out and grasped the bouquet with her free hand, smiling a bit wider when she noticed the red in Hope’s cheeks. “Thank you.” Hope bent down slightly and took Lightning’s bag. “Thank  _ you,  _ Light.” These thanks were about much more than flowers, unbeknownst to the shopkeeper, who cheered, “He’s a keeper, Miss!”

Both Hope and Lightning froze up. “Uh...Oh, we’re just…” “What she said. We’re...actually…” What  _ were  _ they exactly? They  _ did  _ save each other’s souls. For crying out loud, Lightning’s survival knife, which held deep meaning for the both of them, was literally a part of Hope’s soul now. And they were both well aware of their own feelings, which were more than “friendly.” Hope was sure about that. Admitting those feelings, though, was a totally different story. Snow hadn’t been kidding when he was telling Hope about how complicated love could be nearly a thousand years ago.

“Hope.” Lightning tugged gently on Hope’s sleeve and offered another smile to him. “Let’s go home.”


	2. Firework

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cheesy, peaceful night years after the events of Lightning Returns.

Lightning had developed a fine taste for drinks. Not that she was an alcoholic or anything close to it, no, absolutely not. But when special occasions came around, she always bought a bottle of the perfect beverage for the occasion. This particular occasion was without a doubt one of the most significant of the year, and one of the most enjoyable.

“You know, I've really grown to like living here,” Hope said as Lightning joined him on the balcony. She handed him a glass of champagne, and he nodded in thanks. “Well, I'd hope so. This place costs a fortune.” She took a seat in the unoccupied chair next to Hope. “I'd beg to differ,” Hope contested. “It is in fact...priceless.” Lightning rolled her eyes as her lips curved into a tiny smirk. “Ever the romantic. I'll admit it is nice to have such a great view of the fireworks every year.” “Even better that they're on our special night this time around,” Hope added.

“Oh, don't say it like that,” Lightning said, struggling to keep her smile from widening. Hope giggled and looked at his watch. “Thirteen seconds ‘til showtime.” He lifted his glass. “Happy anniversary, Light.” Lightning tapped her glass against Hope’s as the first crimson stream of light shot up into the air. It exploded with a loud pop, the resulting display illuminating two smiling faces.


	3. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope gets stopped by some strangers on his way home, and Light isn't fond of the situation.

“You really engineered that?”   
“Yes, I did.”   
“Wow, you're so talented! And young.”   
“Thank you.”   
“He's so polite and handsome, too. Anyone would be lucky to get a date with you, sir.”   
“I'm flattered.”   
“So, Mister- Excuse me -  _ Doctor  _ Estheim, can you explain what this little machine does?”

Lightning tapped her foot with her arms crossed as the strangers continued to interrogate Hope. How rude of them. Hope was obviously on his way home after a hard day at work, and he obviously wanted to get to his destination as soon as possible. How  _ dare  _ those passersby hold him up? They couldn't even keep up with what he was saying. Admittedly, Lightning couldn't understand half that sciencey nonsense either, but at least she paid attention to more than just Hope’s face...his gorgeous, gorgeous face. Those strangers didn't know a thing about him, about  _ them.  _ No one had even realized that she'd come to meet up with Hope. She was invisible.

Lightning quickly decided to stop sulking and do something, so she marched right up to the noisy bunch. “So sorry to cut your conversation short,” she said, taking one cold glance over the strangers to petrify them. She laced her fingers with Hope’s, much to his surprise. “Light…” He said it in such a soft tone, as if just speaking her name took his breath away. “It's time to go home. Don't wanna be late for dinner, do we?” Lightning said the words with a hint of playfulness in her voice, her eyes focused on Hope and her mind satisfied with the knowledge that the passersby knew they had no chance whatsoever. 

“Weren't we going to go out tonight?” Hope asked. Lightning suppressed a laugh. Of course Hope’s big brain was dense. “We were...but I changed my mind. We need to get you out of that stiff suit.” Lightning paused before deciding to hammer one last nail into the coffin. “Besides, I thoroughly enjoy your home cooking.” With that, she tugged Hope along, leaving the strangers to gape in shock.


	4. Fairytale Parody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> High school AU. School play. Serah is the director. You know where this is headed.

“Uh...How did I get cast as the princess again?” Hope asked. Serah gave him a pat on the shoulder. “It's because you're pretty.” “Why don't you be the princess then?!” Hope snapped. “‘Princess Serah’ sounds pretty tired,” Serah replied. Hope raised his brow. “What is that supposed to mean?” Serah smirked. “Anyway, Lightning’s the prince. You should get rehearsing.” Hope sighed. “You're really abusing your power as director, aren't you?” Serah kept grinning and skipped over to her chair in front of the stage. She extended her hand, and an assistant brought her a megaphone. “Time to rehearse, everyone! Take your places, and...Action!”

“Who dares enter my lair?” Snow asked in a deep voice, stomping forward in his dragon costume. “I dare,” Hope said, his eyelid twitching. This was so _ stupid. _ He was ready to break character when a voice like thunder called, “And the princess is not alone!”

Lightning, with the speed of her namesake, kicked Snow onto his back and drew her prop sword. “Quickly, Your Highness, prepare the spell.” Hope drew his wand prop, suddenly into his role. “Darkness and hate, meet with your fate. May the impurities be purged for this heart's sake. Dragon, O dragon, may your hurt come to an end. Dragon, O dragon, become our friend!” He pointed the wand toward Snow.

“Cut!” Serah called. “Perfect. Now, on to the final scene.” “Shouldn't we practice the meat of the story?” Noel asked. “Like the revolt? The musical sequence?” “We'll start on the musical sequence after this,” Serah promised. “Take your places, everyone. This ending scene is critical.” Actors and assistants moved across the stage, preparing for the scene. “You have no shame, do you?” Yeul asked. “None whatsoever,” Serah replied. She raised the megaphone to her mouth. “Aaaaaand...Action!”

“I now pronounce you legally wed,” Vanille said. “You may now kiss the bride.” Lightning’s fingers reached out for Hope, her demeanor ever fearless as Hope stiffened and blood rushed to his face. “No need to worry,” Lightning whispered, quiet enough for only Hope and Vanille to hear. She tilted his chin upward and leaned in, only to freeze. “Light?” Hope whispered. He then noticed that she was just as red as he was. “Heh.” It was comforting in a way, knowing that she was nervous too. It gave Hope the courage to press his lips to Lightning’s, earning applause from Serah.

“Great!” Serah said. “Except for that delay with the kiss. Get ready for take two!”


	5. My Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's movie night~

Lightning shifted her legs a bit, trying to get comfortable on the couch. If she was going to watch a late-night movie, she might as well do it in a nice sleeping position. She lie on her side, with Hope behind her. He was a living heater; nice and toasty. Well, maybe more like a blanket. Lightning could just wrap herself up in him, so to speak. Still, she was missing just a little something.

“Oh,” Lightning said under her breath, finally figuring out the tiny obstacle keeping her from maximum comfort. Despite the human blanket, her fingers were still a bit cold. “Hope, give me your hands.” Hope wasn't surprised by the request, but he was curious. “My hands? I can give you one, but the other might be tricky with our position…” “Whatever,  _ hand,”  _ Lightning muttered, taking Hope’s hand. She immediately guided it between her thighs, and Hope inhaled sharply. “Uhh...Light?” Lightning shifted her legs just a little more as she entwined her fingers with Hope’s, then hummed with contentment. “There we go.”

Baffled and stiff, Hope forced himself to speak. “...R-Ready for the...um...movie. For the movie?” “Relax,” Lightning said, picking up the remote from the nearby coffee table using her free hand. “It feels a lot better when you're not imitating a statue.” Hope exhaled. “You're absolutely right, my love.” This time Lightning tensed, unsure of what to say. “Uh,” she said, blood rushing to her cheeks and a smile emerging despite all her willpower. “S-Showtime.” She pressed the play button on the remote, and the film began.


	6. Meet the Parents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope and Lightning announce their relationship to Hope's parents.

Truthfully, Lightning was a bit nervous, even with Hope right beside her. Bartholomew Estheim wore a smug grin, and he wasn’t trying at all to hold it back. Nora at least tried to hide her all-knowing smile behind her cup of tea. Hope cleared his throat. “So, Mom, Dad...I’m not sure if you remember Lightning.” “Oh, we remember,” his father said. “If not for her, you wouldn’t be here right now.” His cheeky expression faded as he turned his attention to Lightning. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.” Nora gave a slight nod in agreement. “Yes, you have our eternal gratitude.” Lightning was silent a moment. What response would be appropriate? “Um...No problem? I mean, there’s no need to thank me...Hope kept me alive just as much. He’s...You’ve raised a very fine young man.” That was good enough, right?

“Are you alright, dear?” Nora asked, taking notice of Lightning’s reddening face. She knew the answer already. She knew exactly why the young woman was blushing and acting this way, but she still wanted to show that she cared. “I’m fine,” Lightning said almost immediately. “Please, there’s no need to worry about me.” Hope squeezed her hand, prompting her to look at him. He offered a smile in an attempt to calm her a bit before facing his parents again. “From the looks on your faces I’m willing to bet you two saw this coming, but I wanted to tell you that Lightning and I are…” He froze up.

“You and Lightning are…” Bartholomew said, prompting his son to finish. “W-We’re uh,” Hope stammered. “Uh...You know. You know how you and mom? Uhh…” His face quickly became much redder than Lightning’s. “Just, it’s…” He took a deep breath and composed himself. “We-” “We’re dating,” Lightning blurted out before Hope could say it. “I’m dating your son.” Nora set down her cup of tea. “It’s about time. You two were made for each other.” Bartholomew chuckled. “Not mincing words today, are you?” Nora nudged his arm. “Why would I? Look at them. Our handsome son and that gorgeous young lady look absolutely perfect together. Oh, I can’t wait to have grandchildren!” At that statement, Lightning paled and Hope let out a single cry for help: “Mooooooommmmmm…”


	7. Because You're Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope wakes up in the middle of the night, once again from a bad dream. But there's no need to fear. Lightning's here.

Hope woke up in a sweat, his eyes wide and his fingers trembling. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what was going on. He looked around but could hardly see anything in the darkness. Where was he? What was happening? He was about to panic, but then he remembered. He remembered everything, and his rapid breathing gradually slowed. A familiar voice startled him, and then the calming effect set in. “You too?” Lightning sometimes woke up from nightmares as well. And even if Hope was the only one to have a not-so-sweet dream, his involuntary movements and occasional murmurs would wake Lightning, usually before he himself regained consciousness.

“Sorry,” Hope said. Lightning rolled over, facing him and squinting in order to make out his expression. “Tch. Don’t make that face.” She smiled slightly, attempting to wipe the frown from Hope’s face. It didn’t work. “Hey, Hope, are you scared?” Her hand  rose to Hope’s cheek, gently cupping it. “I’ll tell you something,” Lightning continued. “I’m not scared. Not at all. Do you know why?” Gradually, Hope’s frown eased. He brought his hand over Lightning’s, confirming that her words were in fact helping. “Not scared,” he echoed drowsily. “Because you’re here.” Hope’s lips formed a small smile, and he closed his eyes.


End file.
